Environmental Conditions Influence Allometric Patterns in the Blow Fly, Chrysomya albiceps

The objective of this research was to study variations in allometry of body characters in females and males of two populations of blow flies, Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), under different environmental conditions to establish patterns of morphological variation. Body size of both males and females in the experimental population was significantly higher than in the individuals of the natural population, indicating an important influence of food on body size. All genitalic and non-genitalic characters in males and females of the two populations showed a trend towards negative allometry rather than isometry. Allometric patterns were modified in both sexes and between populations. The data show generally larger allometric slopes in females than in males. We confirmed that the environmental conditions have an important effect on allometric patterns and body size

Non-standard errors

In statistics, samples are drawn from a population in a data-generating process (DGP). Standard errors measure the uncertainty in estimates of population parameters. In science, evidence is generated to test hypotheses in an evidence generating process (EGP). We claim that EGP variation across researchers adds uncertainty: Non-standard errors (NSEs). We study NSEs by letting 164 teams test the same hypotheses on the same data. NSEs turn out to be sizable, but smaller for better reproducible or higher rated research. Adding peer-review stages reduces NSEs. We further find that this type of uncertainty is underestimated by participants

Purine pathway implicated in mechanism of resistance to aspirin therapy: pharmacometabolomics-informed pharmacogenomics.

Although aspirin is a well-established antiplatelet agent, the mechanisms of aspirin resistance remain poorly understood. Metabolomics allows for measurement of hundreds of small molecules in biological samples, enabling detailed mapping of pathways involved in drug response. We defined the metabolic signature of aspirin exposure in subjects from the Heredity and Phenotype Intervention Heart Study. Many metabolites, including known aspirin catabolites, changed on exposure to aspirin, and pathway enrichment analysis identified purine metabolism as significantly affected by drug exposure. Furthermore, purines were associated with aspirin response, and poor responders had higher postaspirin adenosine and inosine levels than did good responders (n = 76; both P < 4 × 10(-3)). Using our established "pharmacometabolomics-informed pharmacogenomics" approach, we identified genetic variants in adenosine kinase associated with aspirin response. Combining metabolomics and genomics allowed for more comprehensive interrogation of mechanisms of variation in aspirin response--an important step toward personalized treatment approaches for cardiovascular disease

Hamartoma cístico retro-retal: relato de 2 casos e revisão da literatura

Tumores retro-retais são aqueles localizados no espaço retro-retal, de diferentes origens embriológicas e que podem exercer compressão extrínsica no reto e canal anal. São lesões raras, geralmente assintomáticas e mais comuns em mulheres. O hamartoma cístico (tailgut cyst) é um tipo de tumor retro-retal congênito, formado a partir de remanescentes embrionários do intestino posterior. Este trabalho traz uma revisão sobre os tumores retro-retais, dando ênfase às lesões císticas e relata 02 casos de pacientes com hamartoma cístico retro-retal, tratados no Hospital Geral de Goiânia,com lesões evidentes ao toque retal e exames de imagem mostrando lesões císticas no espaço pré-sacral. Utilizou-se a incisão de Parks na abordagem das lesões, uma delas associada 'a via abdominal. A histopatologia foi compatível com hamartoma cístico. As lesões císticas do espaço retro-retal possuem bom prognóstico e a abordagem cirúrgica dependerá das características da lesão, principalmente sua altura em relação à margem anal e relação com estruturas adjacentes no espaço pré-sacral.<br>Retrorectal tumors are those located in the retrorectal space, derived from germinal layers and may exert extrinsic compression of rectum and anal canal. They are uncommon lesions, usually asymptomatic and more frequent in females than in males. Cystic hamartoma (tailgut cyst) is a congenital retrorectal tumor, derived from embryonic remnants of the posterior gut. The present work makes a review on retrorectal tumors giving emphasis to the cystic lesions and reports two cases of patients suffering from retrorectal cystic hamartoma treated at the Hospital Geral de Goiânia , with evident lesions on rectal examination and imaging showing cystic lesions in the presacral space. The resection of the mass was accomplished by means of a posterior approach (Parks approach) associated with abdominal approach in one of the cases. Mycroscopic section showed cystic hamartoma. Cystic lesions in the retrorectal space usually have a favorable prognosis and the surgical approach will depend on their aspects, main the distance between the lesion itself and the anal verge, and its adherence to surrounding parts in the presacral space